OWENSBORO, Ky. – For the third time this season, Ohio Dominican's men's basketball team forced overtime but fell to Kentucky Wesleyan in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference opener by a final score of 74-66 in the Owensboro Sportscenter.

Senior Hasan Varence (Queens, New York) led the way for the Panthers recording his third straight double-double and fifth of the season with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Michael Scott (Hebron, Ky.) had 12 points and five assists while Sam Hickey (Toledo, Ohio) had 11 points and grabbed six rebounds.

In a slow first half, ODU and KWC were tied at 20-20 with 9:41 remaining before KWC finished the half with a 14-4 run to take a 10-point lead into the half. ODU shot just 37% (10-for-27) from the floor in the half while KWC shot 43% (15-for-35).  Varence had eight points and eight rebounds at the half while Michael Simon (Hilliard, Ohio) had five points and three rebounds.

Early in the second half, ODU would make up the ground needed and take a three point lead at 41-38 off the back of 17-4 run to open the half. Nine points from Varence and a pair of threes from Alek West (Sylvania, Ohio) led that run to open the half for ODU.

KWC would regain a six point edge at 49-43 on the back of an 11-2 run with 7:14 remaining in regulation. ODU would cut their deficit to one, three times over the final seven minutes but could never grab the lead from KWC. Varence hit a three with 19 seconds remaining to make the score 62-61 in favor of KWC and after an ODU foul, Jo Griffin split a pair of free throws and after a KWC timeout, Arius Jones (Lansing, Mich.) was fouled and calmly sank a pair of free throws to send the contest into overtime tied at 63-63.

In overtime, ODU was outscored 11-3 shooting 1-for-7 in the overtime.

The Panthers, now 3-6 overall and 0-1 in the conference, shot 42% (26-for-62) from the floor and just 24% (7-for-29) from behind the arc.

The Panthers remain on the road heading to Nashville to take on Trevecca Nazarene Saturday afternoon with tip set for 4:15 CT.